Proof of life
by Alne
Summary: Elliot could only later wish he had never ventured out that lonely, rainy evening, and found that thing that seemed so wonderful.   Slight Elliot/Leo.


Author's note: Written as something to pass the time away from all my Fills&Requests I'm working on at the moment. Not going to lie, they're wearing me down, but I'm determined to finish them so I have a bit of time to write out a few personal things. That... and as a distraction for a bunch of things piling up in my life right now. Hope you all enjoy.

Warnings: ...Err. This will give spoilers, but...violence? Blood? Death? Yeah - let's go with that.

...

_It was as though the clouds swallowed the sun. In the most reptilian of ways..._

_The snake coiled around the still warm and thrashing body of its victim._

_Suffocating it. Crushing it. Bones cracking, and organs bursting under the pressure. Would the storm ever allow the morning to shine through the darkness? Or would it swallow it from the hearts of the living forever?_

...

"Elliot.. I don't think we can keep her."

Leo whispered softly, wary eyes darting around his quarters; normally if the Master&Servant were in need of a serious discussion, they would keep it in the Servant's quarters; less chance of being spied upon or have a conveniently placed eavesdropped walk past Elliot's doorway.

A sharp flash of lightning lit up the room, thunder booming mere seconds later. A small, trembling and soaked creature on the floor darted towards Elliot who sat only feet away from it. Leo perched on his bed, a troubled look crossing his features. This was a dangerous game Elliot was getting himself involved in, bringing that stray into the Nightray home.

_...Duke Nightray is not going to be happy..._

The thought had crossed his mind multiple times. Never had he voiced it aloud, though. That would be _out of place_ after all, and surely Elliot wouldn't like hearing it.

"But Leo.."

Elliot finally spoke up, whispering around the loud rain hammering the window and roof. Leo tilted his head to the side.

"I couldn't just leave her outside... she was shaking, and soaked and-"

The Nightray heir cut himself off abruptly after hearing a pitiful _mew_ come from the feline now curled in-between his legs, desperately seeking warmth and affection from the boy - the only one in her life who had shown her kindness, and not just kicked her back to her pathetic existance on the streets.

Leo sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose; well this was a rather... tricky situation. Though he strived to correct Elliot in his mistakes and to teach him the smart decisions and paths, this one seemed different in a way. He just couldn't bring himself to flat-out say _no_ to his master.

Of all the times for him to grow soft..

"As much as I know this will end badly, I'm not going to say no.."

Elliot's face brightened immediately, another boom of thunder sounding aloud.

"_But _she's going to stay in here. That way if your Father finds out it will be on my head."

Smiling softly, Elliot brushed his hand over the cat's head, hearing a weak and feeble purr erupt from her throat; such a noise for one so small! Much as Elliot's entire family enjoyed the company of dogs over felines... he most certainly did not want to forever look after a slobbering, drooling mess that only felt whatever its master was feeling.

When a Master was sad, the dog was sad. When a Master was happy, the dog was happy.

So on, and so forth.

"Though..."

Leo began, and Elliot's head snapped up, giving his servat a wary look as though he was about to dismiss his prior agreement.

"She needs a name Elliot."

Leo's face was bright as he fumbled to his bedside table to grab his glasses and shove them onto his face. A thoughtful look passed both their faces, and there they both remained for a while, thinking and pondering of a perfect name for the feline that broke the silence of the room with her loud, wonderous purring.

"...Lyn."

The Nightray looked up at his friend, thinking for a moment, before smiling warmly, and rubbing Lyn's ears softly.

"Lyn it is..."

And though the two could hear only the pelt of rain on the outside, the purring of Lyn and the boom of thunder, they remained oblivious to the figure that stood still outside the servant's door.

White gloved hands fisted angrily in on themself at that _oh-so_ familiar feline noise..

...

A few weeks had passed. Nobody, not even once, had suspected there was something amiss in Leo's quarters; Elliot would drop in whenever he could, and everyone just assumed he was there to visit his servant. Perhaps cajole him into some things some might find rather innapropriate between Master and Servant, but not between two close friends.

One could only assume...after all.

Lyn was growing out of the thin, raggedy pelt and was becoming sleek and beautiful, the signs of being well-fed and pampered finally beginning to show for the first time in her life.

Elliot would always despise having to leave her alone when it came time for slumber; he trusted Leo with her, of course...yet...that wasn't the case. Not at all - he simply wanted to stay with her, his adoration for felines swelling in his chest everytime he laid eyes on her.

So, ocassionally he stayed the night in his Servant's quarters, usually falling asleep with his back against the side of the bed, a purring and content Lyn curled up in his lap. Leo read until very late, and would usually put Elliot in his own bed, curling up on the floor. A smile always made its way across his face just being close to Elliot in the evening.

Because when Lyn was around, Elliot scarcely needed Leo.

Especially when the black-cat curled up on the Nightray, the boy's nightmares seemingly melted away.

All but Lyn were oblivious to the figure that stood still outside the servant's door for hours after the candles were blown out. A looming figure, one may call a ghost, but this person was in fact _very real_.

And whenever feet shuffled softly against the hard floor, Lyn would growl softly, hissing with warning.

...

Slowly, a few months passed.

Most just assumed that Elliot and Leo were having some sort of relationship, whether it be sexual or affectionate. The Nightray heir stayed in Leo's room nearly every night, but there always seemed to be _someone_ in the room. That, or the door remained firmly locked.

The two departed the Nightray household for a day and an evening to run an errand for Elliot's father. He was reluctant to do so, and to leave Lyn alone, but Leo assured him it would be alright. The door was locked, and Lyn was normally very quiet unless Elliot was stroking her and her rattling purr sounded out through the chambers.

So, the two departed. Oblivious to the fact somebody in the household _knew_; and somebody in the household knew just how to worm his way to the other side of locked doors..

...

Lyn was wary when she perked her ears at the blonde entering the room. At the scent of who it was, however, her ears instantly lay flat against her skull, back arching, as she slowly stood stiffly to her feet.

Vincent looked on unamused, a slight glint of fear and hatred blazing in his mismatched eyes.

"...you look just like _him_..."

He put out a gloved hand to try and touch her, but she smacked it away, growling deep in her throat, where normally a purr would be erupting.

"...same bad attitude as well."

He shrunk back, hand pressed against his temple, as a flood of bad, _horrible_ memories throbbed throughout his brain. T-This cat... it was _back!_ It was him - after all these years, that disgusting, wretched feline had found him.

Vincent shot a fierce glare at the arched cat, before backing out the door, whispering softly,

"...you just wait here, dear _Lyn_ - I shall return with your Master in tow."

The cat kept her vicious and defensive posture, hissing again.

Vincent smirked, and let the door close softly.

...

"Leo, come _on_ - we need to hurry back."

Leo rolled his eyes softly, adjusting his glasses for the umpteenth time that day (out of slight-annoyance, might I add).

"Lyn will be fine Elliot, nobody ever goes in my room."

Hurrying their way back to the Nightray mansion, they were running a bit later than first-planned. A few emergency stops along the way were necessary to ensure the message was delivered to the right person, and not a mere stranger or servant in their home.

As the pair made their way down the servant's chamber's hallway, they both stopped instantly, frozen to the spot, eyes widening in disbelief.

Two of the maids and Vanessa were pulling at two of Duke Nightray's hounds collars, them both tugging and snarling viciously over their victory.

A small, limp, and shredded black ball of fur.

Elliot's heart instantly sank into his stomach.

It.. It was _Lyn..._

"Elliot!"

Leo screamed at his Master, as the Nightray ran towards the commotion, desperately trying to retrieve the feline from the dogs greedy jaws.

"Stop it! Let go of her!"

Grabbing at the black hound's muzzle, he immediately retracted, as jaws snapped away from its prize, and sunk into Elliot's hand. He cried out sharply; these.. these were the hounds that his Father had trained _only_ to obey him. Normally they were kept out in the kennels near the stables, never to come out unless Duke Nightray wished to go hunting with them.

They listened to not another soul... T-Then who.. Who let them into the manor?

Vanessa had finally grabbed the bloody mess from the other dog's jaws, and the three began to drag the dogs back towards the stables.

Elliot sunk to his knees, whimpering pitifully.

There was Lyn... no longer did she seem like the strong cat that had pulled through street life and found a magnificent and loving home. Blood sprayed the hallways and flooring around them. Her body was barely recognizable; she had been torn nearly in half. Her claws were out, her face pulled back into a vicious snarl.

She had gone down fighting, just like she had always strived to do in her hard life.

Leo softly stepped up behind his sobbing master. He willed his own tears back, and knelt down to wrap his arms around Elliot's neck, pressed against his back. His own sobs were not voiced but tears still ran from his eyes, staining the back of the Nightray's clothing.

And they wept in unison..

For the poor creature that lay bleeding and mutilated at their feet.

...

After that, Elliot returned to his own quarters every night; and the nightmares took over every night, only worsening in his newest sight of death.

And never again did that looming figure remain outside Leo's door long into the night...

/fin.


End file.
